Day 29

What a week it has been. The weather has been awful - wind and rian until today. The bricklayers tuned up on Tuesday and worked half a day and we have not seen nor heard from the slaters. Our phone has been down all week due to BT cutting us off despite promises that we would only be without the line for 2 minutes when they transferred it from a business line to a residential line. We were reconnected on Friday only to find the broadband had gone down and thats going to be another week! I am now picking up all my emails (thank goodness for Yahoo) and am working on Imogens computer.
It is lovely warm sunshine today and Phil is planning to ring all the relevant subcontractors to ensure they get to work soon. We have learnt however that when building with a timber frame the roof slates should go on and the weight be allowed to settle prior to the brick work going up so could explain the lack of enthusiasm on the part of the brickies.!
I shall put some more photos together when I have my own broadband working again.

DAY 22

In just three weeks the roof is up and the carpenters have finished (for the time being). The roof is on and the windows are in. The main cathedral window has yet to be delivered and we are unable to put the porch and the garage on the side until the brick layers have prepared the wall. That will not be long though as the brick layers start tomorrow and the slaters come to slate the roof later this week. The first job will be to repair where we have had to knock out for the steel frame and then they will to start on the walls.

Phil has been out there today doing some little jobs and getting on with what he can do himself. Today he has put concrete round the base and is now puttting partitions up inside. It is pouring with rain so I have not ventured up there - as long as I can here things happening I know he is allright.

I am sure you agree that the house is looking good and I am going to go and take some photos from the main road when it stops raining as it looks quite impressive from the rear. I am busy sorting out sanitary ware and appliances for the kitchen.

DAY 17

Phil and I have been away for a few days and have come back to quite a change. The carpenters have been hard at work all weekend and much progress has been made. The roof is on and it seems the house is really taking shape.

We have got the tilers coming in a couple of weeks and hopefully the brick layer will return. We need to get some of the blockwork in place to progress with the porch and then the garage.

Phil and I were able to spend sometime at the weekend researching sanitary ware and various other interior fittings which was an extremely good use of our time.

DAY 12

It doesn't seem as if a great deal has happened this week but the carpenters did quite a lot on Monday night although they didn't appear last evening - I have a feeling it is Shinty Training!

Phil has been very busy laying the insulation on the ground floor and boarding it in preparation for the underfloor heating. We have had visits from the roofers and from the brick layers and conversations as to when they can start.


Phil has just called me up to see the kitchen divide. He has put the partitions in between the kitchen and utility room and also to form the cloakroom. Looking good. However a 3ft door ( regulations for disabled access) on the cloakroom is daft. I shall be able to sit on the loo and have my feet in the study!


We are going away for the weekend tomorrow and it will be interesting to see further progress on our return. The photo to the left is where the study will be so this is where I shall be keeping in touch with all my old friends. Note the view.

Day 10

The carpenters were busy playing Shinty yesterday in a local cup. Fort William beat Lochaber so there was much to celebrate! Phil spent the day quietly laying the ground floor insulation and boarding it out - consequently for the first time I was able to step inside my new home and was very pleased as to how it is working out.


Today Dave and Victor have been back and have been very productive. They have done quite a lot to the Dormers at the back but unfortunately we are unable to get round to take a photo. They have also started cladding the steel work with timber and the front window really is taking shape.


Things will slow down now as the carpenters are only able to work evenings and weekends but this means Phil will be able to get in and work on the inside in peace.

Day 8

The steel frame for the main front Cathedral window is now in place. After some difficulty because some of the blockwork in the foundations had to be broken out. The steel frame work had been made to fit straight on to the concrete and we had been informed otherwise. Any way all is now well and it was lowered in to place with great easy - adjusted to fit and now we can see the front of the house taking shape.
Yesterday was spent getting the rafters finished and the roof ready for boarding.
This evening they have infact boarded the back roof which is now almost ready for tiling.